Riverbrian

One way or another. 26 men will head North out of Ft. Myers. Who Knows... New players all over the place. This might be fun!

I'd be shocked. For the all reasons you mention. Then again... in consideration of recent history. I might be Captain Louis Renault shocked.

Personally... I'm not that concerned about who we lose. I'm concerned about who we add. That speaks the loudest. It's the starting point of the 40 man roster taking shape and where it goes from here.

3 Hours and 17 minutes until the deadline. Pretty Quiet out there.

I will lose my mind if they are free agent outfielder shopping. We both know that if they are shopping for an outfielder... they will be shopping for a right handed hitting outfielder. They will have potentially 11 Outfielders on the 40 man after tonight. They don't need another outfielder. The only reason to shop for an outfielder would be to find a short side guy to pair with the many left handed outfielders on the roster. Larnach, Wallner, Outman, Rodon, Erod and Jenkins are all left handed hitters and let's throw in Keirsay since he is currently on the 40 man all though I doubt he remains. 2026 needs to be a complete... full commitment to the identification and development of younger players not strip mining them for parts. Now... if it's a clear upgrade... that's different but it would still be hard to explain spending limited resources on a position that is already overstocked on the 40 man.

That's where I am with Outman. He's got a lot of tools. He may have worked through his major league kinks already with other organizations. Being a member of the Dodgers organization is tough when they have little room for a player working out kinks. With that Said... I'd give him this off-season and until June to start showing something. He is out of options and we have choices coming behind him. His clock is ticking very loudly.

If Derek Falvey threw ownership under the bus saying... I really don't know what ownership expects trying to field a team on a shoestring budget. He wouldn't have a job much longer. If Derek Falvey said budget was set at 100 million. The Fans would tear those comments to pieces. If Derek Falvey said the budget was set at 140 million. The Fans would tear that comment to pieces if they only spent 120 million. If Derek Falvey said that they were actively trying to trade Joe Ryan. What happens if they don't get a decent offer for Joe Ryan and they don't trade him. I don't think it's sensible to just toss names around on possibilities, considerations or hypotheticals. We want information and we don't know how to act with that information. We... us... you... I... are why public relations graduates are pouring out of universities across the country, finding work to help corporate America manage messages because we don't react very well to the answers. We want the truth and we will kill anyone who tells the truth. Falvey is doing the only thing that is sensible to do. Say something without saying anything. It's the public relations playbook that's been written based on years of trial and error dealing with all of us.

Someone wanted Laweryson at least temporarily. So... I guess that means there is another team out there in worse bullpen shape than us?

That's part of the reason that tomorrow is such a key date. How many will be on that 40 man roster. The lingering presence of Keirsay and McCusker on the 40 man. Did they just DFA enough to get through this date? Are they hoping that everybody else fills up before dealing with the roster spots so they can sneak those two through? It's like an episodic cliff hanger. Who Shot J.R? Tune in Tomorrow. Stay Tuned... We will be right back.

On the plus side: 19 Homers in 379 Plate Appearances is nothing to sneeze at. On the down side: Making Clemens a 1B only and not utilizing his multi-position skill would be a mistake. Not attempting to locate a talented young 1B with multi years of control will be a mistake. Any consideration of a platoon or role players of any kind for this roster will be a huge mistake. Free agency will not fix this. Free Agency will only delay the fixing of this.

I have no idea what to expect tomorrow. I'm as curious about it as I have ever been in any given year. I'm just saying... as the roster stands right now. Typically teams need around 6 players on a 26 man roster. Clemens, Julien and Fitzgerald are options 4, 5 and 6 as it stands. The combination of Offense in my opinion the biggest priority to be fixed and Clemens, Julien and Fitzgerald currently being options 4, 5 and 6 are why... in my opinion... that a 1B and SS are nearly critical and the Naylor early signing and how many teams could be shopping leaves me little hope that 1B can be decently addressed via free agency.

As the roster stands right now. Clemens and Julien would probably both make the roster along with Fitzgerald. Lewis, Lee, Keaschall, Clemens, Julien and Fitzgerald is your infield. It would take two solid additions just to get Clemens or Julien the very last roster spot. Both Clemens and Julien are out of options so it's 26 man for both of them or exposure to the other 29 teams. Another SS would have to be added to knock Fitzgerald off the 26 man. And the need for a 1B is loud as the roster currently sits. Martin could be converted to primarily IF (2B and 3B work) with occasional OF instead of primarily OF with occasional IF. Not sure he should be utilized like this but he could be. These are important considerations because injuries will pull Clemens, Julien and Fitzgerald into fairly regular utilization. This team is simply not in a comfortable enough position to just say Lewis, Lee and Keaschall for 162 games and whatever happens happens. I will renew my request that we bring in a solid SS and 1B somehow... someway. On the Naylor front in regards to the Twins need at 1B. The AAV hasn't been announced but it will be enough for a 5 year deal and enough to get him to sign very very early in free agency... So I assume it will be a high AAV. There are a few teams with 1B holes... including some big boys with big money to spend like the Mets, Yankees and Red Sox. Only Pete Alonso fits big contract worthiness. After that... unless you include Bellinger as a first base free agent option (which you could) it falls pretty steeply to Ryan O' Hearn as possibly the third best option and he has been a platoon hitter of late. Arraez and Hoskins are what's left along with aging Goldschmidt and Santana. The Yankees, Red Sox and Mets could compete for Alonso... Two won't get him and the others could also consider a free agent 3B like Bregman, Saurez and that Murikami guy while shifting someone to 1B. Other teams that potentially need a 1B. White Sox, Astros, D-Backs, Reds, Rockies, Padres and Nats. That's 10 teams (not including the Twins) with possible needs at 1B and maybe 5 solid options if you include 3B and OF candidates (Alonso, Bregman, Saurez, Murikami, Bellinger) And 4 so-so options (Arraez, Hoskins, O' Hearn and Andujar). I worry there are not enough chairs for all the teams walking around the chairs when the music stops. I think the Twins should just stay out of this mess and try to trade for a young 1B.

Nice to meet all of you. Best of luck.

This week will be interesting and full of direction clues. Tomorrow we will find out who gets 40 man spots. In the days leading up to the setting of the 40 man roster... you often see trades. There are currently 33 players on the 40 man. 14 of the 33 are Pitchers: 9 of those 14 pitchers have been utilized as starters leading up to this season. Teams typically have 22-23 pitchers on a 40 man roster. Therefore... around 8 pitchers will need to be eventually added to the 40 man... bullpen candidates a high priority. 19 Players on the current 40 man roster are position players. If 22-23 are typically pitchers. 18 is about where you want to be so they are currently overstaffed on this side of the ledger. 3 of those 19 are considered catchers if you shove Gasper into that box. 7 would be considered IF 9 would be considered OF. Seth Stohs who knows (Rhyme unintentional) the minor leagues as well as anyone. He thinks that 4 Pitchers and 2 outfielders are givens to be added to the 40 man. This would bring us to 39 players on the 40. 18 pitchers. 3 Catchers 7 IF 11 OF These numbers don't include Rosario, Fedko or JENKINS. We have 4 OF too many... and around 4 short on the pitching side and I'm guessing that roster clean up this off season will need to un-lump these numbers for balance.

Start with this concept and figure it out from there.

.283 is too low of an OBP and .388 is too low of a Slug. Whatever it takes to fix that... he's going to want that fixed. He is going to lose significant money if he doesn't fix that... So... Adjust... Don't adjust... listen to your coaches... listen to nobody. Whatever it takes. In the meantime... .283 OBP is too low and .388 slug is too low. If I was the GM... I would be doing everything I can to bring in a player or players who are stronger than Ryan Fitzgerald for Royce to compete with for playing time. I would not be handing him the keys for 162 games and whatever happens happens... just letting him take us down if he is going to .671 himself down the road. I'm hedging my bet. In 2025. Royce had: .805 OPS in games that the Twins won. .563 OPS in games that the Twins lost. Take that split for what it's worth. Lots of players have splits that look like that because players plural not hitting the ball tends to lead to the reason you lost. I'm just saying that it's quite possible that Royce helped us lose more games than he helped us win games in 2025 and he needs to fix that and he fixes it with his bat. He had about 200 AB's where he played every day and hit worse than anybody in BASEBALL including Vazquez. So adjust... don't adjust... as long as the Twins have the talent on hand to adjust to whatever Royce is.

Don't forget the PA Announcer.

The short answer to your question... that really needs a longer answer. Starters always have more potential value than relief pitchers. If he develops into a major league starter... you've won the trade at the very moment regardless of what Varland does going forward. Development is always the key to winning trades. The Twins need Rojas to develop. I'm not sure if anyone puts any stock in BBTV but in case anybody does. Both Rojas and Roden are basically equal value at the moment. 11.6 and 11 respectively. Varland currently rates a 10.4. Again... if BBTV has any value at all... it suggests that both players were equally necessary in order for the Twins to cough up Varland and at the moment... The Twins got back 22.6 in value giving up 10.4 For what it's Worth.

Bottom Line. It's a critical year for Trevor and I wish him well... and I also believe he can do what needs to be done. Next year he will be on an expiring contract with an Arb number around 8 million. If Larnach is with the Twins or someone else this year. Trevor needs to OPS over .800 which is something he hasn't done before. I still believe he can do this but he will need around 25 dingers over 450 AB's or so to get there. A little increase in OBP would aldo be helpful. I'm not crazy enough to bet anything of value to support my belief in Trevor but the guy is a major league level hitter.

The most plausible candidates will be teams that lack above average hitters. The White Sox would be another candidate based on that criteria.

Whatever started at the trade deadline last year. It certainly isn't finished.

All possible. This better be an interesting off-season for our Twins.

I typically struggle to use words like incompetent since you just can't sit in those chairs without a certain level of competency. Below the level of their peers is how I would term it and even before I attach that to anyone. I'd be a lot more comfortable with a lot more information. Information that I'll never get... therefore leaving me to just spout theories on this website. Go Twins!!! 😉

I've been a staunch Larnach defender in the face of stiff winds on Twinsdaily. However... I would certainly consider a trade of Larnach for a decent reliever... if possible and the possible part is what I just don't know. In regards to Cleveland specifically. Even with Larnach's extremely average .727 OPS last year. That OPS would have ranked third behind Ramirez and Manzardo if he was with Cleveland last year. Cleveland isn't going to spend significant free agent money and rumors are heavy that Kwan is on the trade block. I can't rule out Cleveland interest in Trevor Larnach.

I agree... my gut tells me to point my derision toward ownership because my assumption is that the Pohlad's OK'd this direction. On the other hand... By Allowing them to go this particulur direction also suggests that the Pohlads were willing to invest in the team and that is going to fly in the face of the popular narrative that the Pohlads don't care that is all over this website.